How to Prune a Wax Leaf Ligustrum

Wax leaf ligustrum are versatile trees that can you can keep small in planters or grow to a nice height of 6 to 10 feet in landscaping. Wax leaf ligustrum are basically low evergreen trees that are easy to trim and maintain. The small tree does well in various soils and is resistant to insects.

Things You'll Need

Loppers

Pruning shears

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Cut out dead and diseased branches when you discover them so that the reason for the problem does not spread to other branches or plants. Use loppers to cut the branch back to the main stem or to a fork in the branch. The cut needs to take out all of the dead or diseased wood, and in the case of disease, it needs to cut back beyond the problem area by at least 6 inches or the main stem.

Trim new growth back in the late winter before spring growth and the heat of the summer season. Trim the branches back no more than one-third of their overall length. Make cuts at a slight angle to encourage new growth the next season, and place the cuts above a fork or leaf node.

Shape the ligustrum by snipping the ends of the greenery as you want. Step back to look at the shape and see how it’s going so that you don’t trim off too much. You can shape the plant anytime except fall to mid-winter. Trimming at this time might force growth that would die off due to cold weather.

Cut lower limbs back to the main trunks of the ligustrum to expose the lower part of the trunk and create a more tree-like appearance.